A man who tried to save a drowning stranger revealed the heartbreaking moment he realised it was his cousin.
Jordan Ferries, 27, and his friends leapt into action when they heard a kayaker's calls for help at Loch Doon in Scotland on Sunday.
The group spotted a man struggling in the water and used paddle boards to drag him to the shore near Dalmellington in East Ayrshire.
Jordan, from Kilmarnock, had no idea that the person he was trying to save was his cousin Scott Ferries due to the 24-year-old's condition when he was pulled from the water.
The software engineer had been camping on the other side of the loch and had been completely unaware that Scott, from from Ayr, was in the same area.
Devastated Jordon is reliving the traumatic incident and the harrowing moment he recognised the man as his own family member, reports the Daily Record.
He said: "He didn't look like Scott because of what had happened in the water. His face was white, his lips were blue. I didn't realise it was him."
As his pals battled to resuscitate the man, Jordan noticed distinctive tattoos on his arms that he recognised as Scott's leading to a gut-wrenching realisation.
Jordan said: "I saw a star on his wrist and a tribal tattoo on his forearm. That’s when it hit me 'this is Scott Ferries. This is my wee cousin'.
"Realising it was my own flesh and blood is hard to describe. It was just complete shock and horror.”
“I just couldn’t believe it to be honest. I can't believe we were camped 50ft from each other and I didn't know Scott was there until it was too late."
Panicked Jordan desperately tried to call an ambulance, but struggled with a lack of mobile phone signal.
Eventually, he managed to send for emergency help and pinpoint the group's exact location using an app he downloaded.
Mercy crews raced to the scene but Scott was pronounced dead despite paramedics' best efforts.
Jordan and his friends had battled to save his life for almost an hour along with the help of Scott's pals.
"My head is full of ifs and buts. It's easy to beat yourself up about it, Jordan said.
"We did everything that we were supposed to do in that situation but it just wasn’t enough.”
Jordan paid tribute to his cousin, who worked as a mechanic at his dad's garage in Ayr, and described him as 'cheeky' with a passion for cars and dogs.
He said: "I remember changing a tyre with Scott when he was only 11 or 12 years old.
"He could jack up a car in two seconds, knew exactly what wrench to get and had it sorted within five minutes. Cars were his passion.
"He also loved his wee dog Roxy. He would always talk about her and that's what his life revolved around.
"Scott always had a cheeky wee smile on him and he was cheeky, but funny. He would have done anything for anybody."
Police Scotland confirmed at the time that officers had received reports of two men in difficulty in the water at Loch Doon at around 1.15pm on March 27.
A spokesperson continued: "One man died at the scene. The other man was checked over by paramedics but did not require further medical treatment.
"A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal but there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances."
You can donate to the fundraiser to help Scott's family here.
